Tag Archives: School

I would like to preface this post by extending my thoughts to all those affected by the terrible events at the Boston Marathon. I wish all those afflicted (some of whom were my high school classmates) a safe and speedy recovery.

During Spring Break I looked after the neighbors’ house while they were on vacation. In the study I noticed an odd letter on the wall—it was a notice from Georgetown University informing the husband that they could not accept his application for financial aid. The date in the corner read April 3, 1976. As I glanced around the room I saw other letters, some denying admission and others explaining why he was not the right fit for a job. Looking at these rejections, I could not help but smile at the irony of it all—my neighbor is the most successful person I know. This is the man who sits on almost every board and has lunch with four-star generals. When I returned to my room and saw my college letters on my desk, I decided I am going to frame them.

To burn or to frame?

Let’s be honest: rejection sucks. Whether it’s the perfect job or that hot guy or girl from across the hall, being told no is one of the most difficult parts of life. We come up short, lose what we have tried to achieve. Worst of all, it tears a hole in our self-image: denial tells us we aren’t good locking or smart enough, that we lack the capacity to meet our goals.

In case you were wondering what it’s like going to school in Maine (What’s that? You were!?), look no further. As you likely know, the northeastern United States witnessed record snowfall last week during Winter Storm Nemo, a perfect storm of a blizzard. The East Coast shut down as more than three feet (one meter) of snow fell over the course of forty-eight hours. If you have read The Weekly Show’s About page (and you totally should), you know that I go to school in a small town in the middle of nowhere Maine (woohoo!). I was able to record part of a subsequent storm on campus last week, so if you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to live in Maine, check out the videos below! I have uploaded a gallery of photos for you guys as well. If you like them, be sure to visit The Weekly Show’s Photography section! Enjoy!

Also, if you are curious about what it’s like to have your eyelashes frozen together and your ears coated with ice, you should definitely drop by Maine next time we have a blizzard!

And the list-style comedy is back! If you’ve ever visited a library, you probably don’t need me to tell you that other readers can affect your experience. Whether you are gathering research, cramming for an exam, or just enjoying a good book, certain people excel at distracting you from your work. Below are five people to avoid at the library, inspired by a week spent in the library during finals. Feel free to add people you’ve encountered in the comments section below.

The Socialite

It there’s one thing everybody can agree on, it’s that you’re not supposed to talk in the library. These buildings are shrines to the worship of silence. The socialite, it seems, did not get the message. Difficult to spot before it’s too late, the socialite makes himself apparent when he pulls out his cell phone and proceeds to talk as loud as humanly possible. Hoping to finish that paper by the end of the night? Good luck. He has a whole list of people to call, and he made sure to bring his phone charger. Some people have purportedly witnessed two socialites together at the same library. Those who have escaped with their sanity report that the chatter is deafening.

“Yeah, everyone in here is working really hard…no, it’s fine, I can talk.”

The Diner

Remember when libraries made you eat your food outside? Even back then you could find one of these guys stealthily munching away. A menace to the studious reader, the diner confuses the library with a dining room. As soon as he sits down, out comes a backpack-full of drinks and snacks. Not just any food, too—these sandwiches and cookies smell so good that nobody in the room will be able to finish a paragraph. The diner wants everyone to know how good his food is as well. Be prepared for an onslaught of crunching, slurping, cracking, and crinkling. Once he has finished his food, he will either fall asleep or leave the library without having opened a book. He then presumably goes to a restaurant and reads.

“Oh man, that was a hard five minutes of studying. NOW WATCH ME EAT THIS APPLE!”